NYCFC Stadium Takes Massive Step To Becoming Reality

NYCFC's new stadium in Queens. Renderings provided by the club.

The New York City Football Club's decade-long dream of having their own stadium within the five boroughs took a major step to becoming reality.

On Thursday, the New York City Council, by an overwhelming 47-1 vote, approved the Willets Point Phase II Redevelopment Plan, which marks the completion of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) review process.

This 23-acre development, which will be adjacent to Citi Field, where NYCFC plays some of their games in addition to their ones at Yankee Stadium, will host NYCFC's new stadium, the largest all-affordable housing development project in 40 years, a new 650-seat public school, a brand-new hotel, and more than 150,000 square feet of public open space.

NYCFC spearheaded the project, along with Related Companies, Sterling Equities, and Council Member Francisco Moya. The Willets Point Revitalization Plan has received widespread support from local elected officials, union leaders, and members of the business community.

Mayor Eric Adams, an enthusiastic backer of the project, is expected to sign the ULURP documents in the coming days. "Housing is the goal - and with today's City Council vote, I'm proud to say that we just scored the goal of the decade," Adams said in a statement. "We're bringing 2,500 affordable housing units, 150,000 square feet of public open space, thousands of good-paying jobs, and the city's first soccer-specific stadium to a neighborhood in Queens that used to be known for its junkyards. We're building a brand-new community out of the 'Valley of Ashes,' and we couldn't have done it without our partners, including Councilmember Moya and the rest of the City Council, Borough President Richards, NYCFC, Queens Development Group, and everyone living in Willets Point who made their voices heard and demanded a new future for themselves. After today's vote, we're one step closer to delivering that future."

NYCFC Club Vice Chairman Marty Edelman said, "I am grateful for Councilmember Moya's steadfast leadership and unrelenting tenacity to bring this project to reality; he has known from day one the power soccer has to bring a community together. Without our fans and partners like Councilmember Moya, Council Speaker Adams, and the entire City Council, our Club would not be able to make good on a promise we made ten years ago to build NYC's first-ever soccer-specific stadium in the five boroughs. Today's City Council vote gets us one step closer to bringing this promise to life in Queens - the World's Borough will be our home for The World's Game."

MLS Commissioner Don Garber said, "The approval by the New York City Council of New York City FC's new world-class stadium us another historic step for Major League Soccer as we continue to build the sport in North America. Congratulations and a heartfelt thanks to The City Football Group, New York City FC's supporters, Mayor Adams, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Councilman Francisco Moya, and everyone who worked so hard over the years and believed in this project."

The first phase of the Willets Point transformation broke ground in December 2023, as QDG began construction on the first 880 affordable housing units. They are expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Next, 220 additional affordable homes set aside for low-income seniors are expected to break ground in the Willets Point transformation. 

The city and its development partners have also undertaken environmental remediation of the formerly contaminated soil, which has, as of July 2023, been completed across a majority of the project site.